


Three Little Words

by Shaleene



Series: Darrek Cousland [1]
Category: Dragon Age, Dragon Age Awakening, Dragon Age Origins
Genre: M/M, drunk Anders, m/m - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-06-02
Updated: 2012-06-02
Packaged: 2017-11-06 15:50:14
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,144
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/420599
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Shaleene/pseuds/Shaleene
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>
  <i>This was a contest piece on DeviantArt about a time when your warden says "I love you" (I kind of switched it around though)) which I didn't win, apparently Alistair is more popular but oh well! Fair warning I am still a newbie at writing so my skills are a bit lacking, I think the point gets across though. Also YAY my first post on Ao3, also D: about the tags. I don't know how to I should tag! </i>
</p>
            </blockquote>





	Three Little Words

As Zevran looked from one face to the other he wasn't sure if he shouldn't be shocked at all, or if he was not shocked enough. He sure wasn't all that surprised, which actually kind of surprised him. He knew he had no one to blame but himself despite his overwhelming urge to 'remove' the one with the dark hair and nose. He wondered if he was really expecting anything else, after all he was the one that left, the one who fled. Sure he had a viable, albeit, meager excuse for it, but leaving without a word... Did he really expect to just come back and everything would be the same? A subtle movement caught the assassin's eye and without hesitation he turned and retreated through the window he had entered. It had been a mistake to return to Ferelden.  
..~~

Darrek's arm flexed the slightest bit as his fingers wrapped around the cold steel hidden beneath his pillow and his eyes opened to focused on the window. There was nothing but the slightly shifting curtains caught in the wind. Of course there wasn't anything there, but he could have sworn...

“Everything ok?” A sleepy voice asked from behind him.

“Fine Nate, go back to sleep. Just......dreams.”

Nate grunted something and tightened his grip around Darrek's waist as if to say he understood before letting go and turning away. Darrek slipped out of bed when he heard Nate's breathing return to it's slow steady pace and walked over to the window. There was no moon out that night, no extra light to help him see as he peered out the window. It didn't matter that he couldn't see, there was nothing there to find despite his minds attempts to persuade him. Even the wind seemed to taunt him with familiar smells. It was a dream, like so many before. Dreams that lingered far longer than they should have. With a frustrated sigh he closed the shutters a little too hard.

..~~

“I tell you, that man is scary when he goes berserk!” Anders said as he set down his cup a little too hard on the table.

“Is that so my inebriated friend?”

“yeah, he is scarier then the dwarf is smelly! And that's saying a lot! Nate is scary too but in a whooole different way! He's so quiet and mysterious. I guess that’s why they get along so well. Both of them are just... scary. Have to say I am jealous of them, I mean that nose!” Anders snorted something that could have been approval at whatever vision his addled mind conjured up.

“Ah, the king has a lover?” Zevran asked, he already knew the answer, he had seen them in the same bed over a month before. But of course Anders didn't know that, as far as the mage was concerned Zev was nothing more then another random face in a sea of faces.

Anders snorted as he looked into his empty cup. “If that's what you want to call them sure. I don't think either of them are capable of......love.” Anders whispered the last word as if it were a secret thing.

“That so?” Zevran waved for another round of drinks.

“A Howe and a Cousland in love? HA! No way no Howe! Get it HOWE!” Anders threw his head back and laughed nearly tipping himself over. “Anyway.” He continued after his fit passed. “Oghren says that the king is already in love with some guy who left him. Never got over it, it's kinda sad when you think about it.”

“That so.” Zevran said as he watched the barmaid set the cups down on the table. 

“Yup!” Anders answered, it had not really been a question but Anders couldn't seem to tell the difference.

The rest of the night went as expected. The mage talked, he sang, and at one point he even jumped on a table and danced, poorly. Eventually he passed out on the bench. Had he been anything but a Warden Zevran might have worried about leaving him there. He had been amazed the weight the title Warden carried in this city, not to mention the mage was apparently the Kings own 'personal healer'. He would wake up with a hang over and probably not even remember Zevran's face let alone all the information he had given him. Zevran shook his head as he retired to his own room. It was amazing the mage was allowed to go unescorted. Not because he was a mage, but because information was power. And when Anders drank he never shut up.

..~~

He could feel the person in the room before he saw him, the dark silhouette leaning silent and still against the window seal as he entered his room. He closed the door behind him setting the sack he had down on the small stand to his left. There were twelve blades hidden in his room, two on his hips and three small knives hidden on his person. Any normal person would have searched the room before hand, he guessed there would be at least four left unfound if needed.

“It is customary to hide when preparing an ambush my friend. Did they not teach you this in whatever mercenary group you belong to?” He said calmly and even slightly amused as he leaned against the wall opposite of the figure. When the man across the room did not speak he continued in a rather bored voice. “I assume you came here to talk since you have not yet attacked, no? Speak then I do not have all night.”

The figure shifted slightly as Zevran crossed his arms over his chest. He hadn't been worried, few moved quick enough to close the distance between them, fewer would be stupid enough to try. He was ready for a fight. Until he wasn't.

“What are you doing here Zevran?”

Zevran's entire body tensed and froze. He knew that voice like he knew which of his identical twin blades were which. It was a voice that had haunted him for nearly two years. “Darrek.” He said dumbly as his hands fell limply to his side. He stared silently for a long moment before shaking his head as if trying to dislodge something. He moved to the table in the center of the room to light the candle. He really didn't need it, didn't really want the extra light but he needed something to occupy the moment as he collected his thoughts.

“So you do remember me, color me surprised.” The warrior said as he watched the elf light the candle. If Darrek actually was surprised it didn't show. 

“How could I forget such an extraordinary man as yourself.” Zevran said sounding more like himself once again, calm and even a little pervy. “Not many can make me...”

“Stop.” Darrek said cutting him off. “Is this some kind of joke, a new form of cruel humor to amuse you? Or are you here to finish the job your Crows failed.”

“Come now my dear Warden.” Zevran said as he leaned against the table crossing his arms over his chest. “You should know me better then that.”

“Should I?” 

Zevran winced slightly as those words cut through him like sharpened steel. “You wound me Warden. I still owe you a life debt after all.”

Darrek scoffed as he pushed himself off the window seal and moved toward the door. He wore plain clothes and his hair was down, his weapons were no where in sight either. Zevran guessed he had a room here at the inn or was staying elsewhere in the city. The Warden was not known for traveling unarmed.

“If that is all you came here for then just...” He sighed shaking his head. “Just go back to wherever the void you came from Zev.” 

“Ah but I figured you would rather me by your side once again. I can be quite a useful asset, no?”

“No.” Darrek said as his hand fell on the door. “I don't need people I can't trust. Just get out of here and don't come back, assassin.”

Zevran moved then, closing the gap between the two and grabbing the warriors arm. It was probably not the smartest thing he had done seeing as he found himself suddenly pinned against the wall with a hand wrapped firmly around his throat. He had nearly forgotten how fast the warrior moved, and how deadly those fingers felt as they dug almost painfully into the tender flesh below his jaw.

“Don't push me, assassin. I don't know why you came back and I don't care.” 

“I came back to see you., I thought that would be obvious.”

“You have been here nearly two months.” 

“Ah I see the innkeeper can't keep a secret as well as he likes to think.”

“I am his king.” 

Zevran stared at Darrek's face unable to tell if he had been serious or not. He had never known Darrek to invoke his right as Warden or king, it was one of the reasons he had been so well respected and feared. The power of his voice and actions spoke far more loudly for him then a mere title ever could. He guessed it was selfish pride more then anything that had the innkeeper giving away secrets however, personally knowing the Warden King did actually hold a lot of weight to the common rabble.

“I would have made myself known Warden, if not for your bed mate.”

“So.” He said as his fingers loosened their grip around the elf's throat and fell away. “You were there.”

“Yes.” He answered knowing full well what Darrek was talking about. He stepped forward until his body was barely an inch from the Warden's and tilted his face up. “I did not wish to come between you and your new love.”

“He's not m....” Darrek began. His teeth clicked loudly as he clamped his jaw shut to stop himself from continuing but the damage had already been done. He could see the knowing look in Zevran's eyes.

“I am sorry my Warden, I admit what I did was wrong. I ran when I should have stayed. Or at least explained myself before leaving you.” Zevran sighed as he tilted his head down to stare at the Warden's chest instead of his face. “I admit I was scared. Of both my feelings, and of your rejection should I prove a problem with your Queen. I don't expect you to ever forgive me my Warden but...”

He paused for a long moment before finally tilting his head back up to stare into the stoic face of the Warden. He hated the fact he still couldn't read the man's face, even the eyes gave no clue as to how the man was reacting. “Tell me you no longer love me Darrek.” He could sense more then see or feel the shiver that went through the warrior at hearing his name spoken. “Tell me this one thing, and I shall leave and never return.”

Darrek stared at the Antivan, his jaw clenching and UN-clenching below a thin layer of skin that couldn't hide the action. He knew he could no more tell the elf such words as he could rip his own heart out and feed it to Talon. After a brief struggle with his own mind he opted for silence and turned away. In most situations his actions spoke for him, perhaps him leaving would convey what his voice couldn't.

“NO!” Zevran All but yelled as he grabbed the warriors arm firmly again stopping him from leaving. They both knew if Darrek had truly wanted to leave the elf would never be able to stop him, weapons or not. “I will NOT accept that as an answer! I made the mistake of walking out on you, but I will NOT let you do the same. I want you to say it, tell me in your own words, your own voice.”

The silence grew thick between them, both listening to the others breathing, both averting their eyes from the other. The only contact between them was an unsure hand losing its grip on Darrek's arm. They both knew Zevran had no right to demand anything of the Warden. They both knew if Darrek wanted he could leave without a word, without a look back. It would never have been the end they wanted or needed, but it would have been as final an end as they would ever have.

Zevran swallowed, the sound seeming to echo loudly in the still room. “I...” He hesitated “I love you Darrek and I will not leave here until I know.....” 

It was Darrek's body and mouth that forced the air out of the Antivan and stopped the words from continuing to pour out over his lips.


End file.
